1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital electronic systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for optimizing the performance of the digital systems by determining optimal speed-power parameters for the components of the digital systems.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Semiconductor integrated circuits may be fabricated on, for example, a silicon wafer. There may, however, be a wide variance in the maximum reliable operating speed of the integrated circuits from one silicon wafer to another depending on variations in materials used and process variations during fabrication. Thus, performance, even among the same type of integrated circuit from the same manufacturer, may vary widely in operational speed performance by a factor of as much as 375 percent or more, from slowest to fastest operating speed. This wide range of operating speeds from the process lot variations during fabrication of the integrated circuit wafers also results in integrated circuit parameter variations caused by varying operating temperatures and voltages of the integrated circuits in a system.
Such wide variance in operating speed range typically causes timing problems when trying to design and interface between different semiconductor integrated circuits in a digital electronic system. Critical timing parameters are, for example, set up and hold requirements, and maximum usable clock speed. System circuit designs must also take into account worst-case operating conditions resulting from high and low voltages, and temperature extremes. Manufacturers typically guarantee operating speed parameters that may be much slower than the actual integrated circuits are capable of because worst-case operating conditions must always be considered or met. This results in a loss of potential performance when using the integrated circuits in an electronic system.
Electronic systems are used widely in diverse applications that have both wide variations in temperature and voltage. Reliability of an electronic system also demands that all components of the system operate within an acceptable performance specification. Mission critical applications of electronic systems in space satellites, weapons, industrial control, telecommunications, transportation, and financial data processing demand the most reliable, yet fastest and most efficient operation of the electronic system.
What is needed is a method and apparatus which automatically and continuously senses the relative performance of at least one integrated circuit during its operation in a system, and allows the operating speed, voltage, and/or temperature of the at least one integrated circuit to be adjusted for best system performance.